emmerdalepastpresentfandomcom-20200214-history
Tom Merrick
Thomas "Tom" Merrick was a recurring and sometimes regualr character in Emmerdale from 1972 to 1988. He first appeared in November 1972 and made his last appearance in the show on the 11th February 1988. He was one of the original badboys of the show. He was the first husband of Pat Sugden and father of Sandie Merrick. He last appeared at the wedding of Jackie Merrick whom he thought was his son until 1982 when it was revealed that Jack Sugden was the real father. Tom was a compelling villain and was an outspoken Yorkshireman through and through. He had his faults but had a heart underneath that bluster and sneering ways. You just had to dig deep under that hard exterior to reach his soft interior. On a personal note I think Tom Merrick (Edward Peel's version) is one of the best characters ever in the shows history. 3 actors played the role, David Hill in 1972, Edward Peel in 1980-1982 and Jack Carr in 1984-1988. 'Biography' Backstory Tom Merrick was born in April 1941. He grew up in Beckindale and lived next door to the Harker family. Tom's father died when he was young, probably in the war, and his mother was a respected lady in the village and was a great friend of Annie Sugden. Tom was an only child also. When Annie's son Jack Sugden left Beckindale in 1964 leaving his girlfriend Ruth Harker pregnant, Tom got with Ruth and they married in April 1964. Being a few years older than 18 year old Ruth in 1964, she saw him as a financial support for her unborn baby for when it was born. Jackie Merrick was born November that year. Although Ruth pretended he was premature to make Tom think he was the father. In late 1965 Tom and Ruth had a daughter Sandie and in 1968 a son Tommy Merrick. Tom's mother died in around 1966/1967. Amos Brearly, the Woolpack landlord also knew Tom's mother well. 1972-1980 In November 1972 when Joe Sugden was having a drink with Ruth Merrick in the Woolpack Tom picked a fight with Joe. He later apologised to Ruth back home. He was unemployed at the time but soon found work as a farmhand at Emmerdale Farm. He was lazy and unreliable and Jack fired him. The Merricks soon left the village to live in Leeds. Tom never visited the village again for another 8 years. He was seldom mentioned until the summer of 1980 when his estranged wife Pat returned to the village. Tom was caught offscreen for drink driving and an out of date tax disc. 1980-1988 September 1980 saw the return of Ruth Marrick, now calling herself Pat to Beckindale with 15 year old Jackie and 14 year old Sandie. She had left Tom for good after years of physical and mental abuse from him. Tom returned to Beckindale in December 1980 and wanted a reconciliation with Pat. Pat denied. Tom was later charged with stealing christmas trees from a plantation at Home Farm with friend Derek Warner. While on remand Rev Donald Hinton offered to take Tom's side in court. Pat Merrick, who was getting back with her childhood sweetheart Jack Sugden asked Tom for a divorce and he hit her. Tom then tried to implicate Jack Sugden in an arson attack. Jack had an alibi. Seth Armstrong forced Tom out of the area with threats of disclosure. Pat and Tom divorced in late 1981. The divorce affected Tom badly and he went on a bender, almost getting killed when he slept rough near a railway line. Tom returned to Beckindale in January 1982. Now aged 40 he was still the same old Tom. The truth was finally releaved about Jackie Merrick's paternity. By then Tom was dating a curvaceous woman called Brenda and was living back in Hotten. Tom got a job offer to work on the oil rigs. Henry Wilks lent him the money for the air fare up to Aberdeen. Tom left the village in February 1982 for Aberdeen where he went to work on the oil rigs. He said an emotional farewell to Jackie and left him a contact address and number. He was not seen again in Beckindale until March 1984. Home Farm manager Alan Turner caught Tom Merrick and a few mates poaching. In October 1984 Tom was sent to prison. He was released in early 1985 and when Jackie was involved in a motorbike accident, Tom was persuaded to look after Emmerdale Farm while Jack and Pat kept a vigil at Jackie's bedsie in the hospital. When Jackie's condition improved, Tom left the village again. He returned in September 1986 for his ex wife Pat Sugden's funeral. He came back to Beckindale once more in January 1988 to help Jackie Merrick and Kathy Bates prepare for their wedding. Tom was present at the wedding. He then left the village once again in February 1988 after Jackie wed. He told Sandie to be good. Tom left Beckindale and was never seen again. In 1989 Tom was mentioned by Sandie who wanted to join him in Scotland where he was based while working offshore on the oil rigs. Memorable info. Tom Merrick was played by 3 actors during the characters 15 years as a semi regular, although in early 1981 Tom appeared continuously for 4 months so was a regualr as well at one or two various times during his 16 year on off reign. David Hill played Tom in 1972 for 6 episodes. When the character was bought back by producer Anne W Gibbons in 1980, Edward Peel took over the role and brought a sneering, grimacing edge to Tom that was not seen before. Edward's Tom seems to be the most memorable out of the 3 actors to play him. Tom left Beckindale in 1982 and when he returned in 1984 another actor Jack Carr took over the role. Tom last appeared on the 11th February 1988. *In 1972 Ruth Merrick said that she had contacted Aunty Mary in Leeds and said they could stay there. Now whether Mary was on her side of the family of Tom's is a mystery. No further known revealings said Ruth/Pat had an aunty Mary so this Aunty Mary mentioned in 1972 may have been Tom Merrick's aunty or even his sister and Ruth referred to Aunty Mary in the way meaning it was their childrens aunty MAry. Ruth had just 1 sister Janey. *Like in many long running shows there is confusion over the backhistory of certain characters and Tom Merrick is one of them. In 1972 he said he had lived in Beckindale for 8 years yet in the 1980s when he returned to visit the village, yet still lived in Hotten, it was said by Amos Brearly that he had grown up in Beckindale and lived next door to the harker family. Tom himself said that his mother was a good friend of Annie Sugden, a true Beckindaler and Tom knew a lot of the old farmers in the area. *In 1972 the first actor was balding on top. When the revamped character returned years later played by a different actor he had a full head of hair yet the same facial features, such as black moustache and black eyebrows. The production team obviously looked at the first actor but wanted to get a sexier actor to play a more nastier and more menacing version of the character. *From what Amos said on Tom's early life it would seem Tom was an only child as Amos said he was orphaned on one side (so he lost his father as a baby or infant or child) and if Tom had any siblings Amos would probably have mentioned them. Tom would have been the man of the house at a young age if he was an orphan and only child.